6.03.2012

How ordinary....yawn...

Blessed Trinity Sunday, Dominica Sanctissimae Trinitatis! A feast day (solemnity) that is shared between the Novus Ordo and the Extraordinary Form, so if you attended the Novus Ordo today (like my family did), you didn't miss anything.

We didn't see green vestments today, but they will be coming! What's wrong with green? Well, nothing, really. They symbolize a time for new growth in the Ordinary Time. That's nice.

The Novus Ordo – with so many changes to the liturgical calendar – went into effect with Advent in 1969. When Pentecost of 1970 rolled around, Paul VI was surprised to find greenvestments laid out for his morning Mass instead of the traditional red for the Octave of Pentecost. When he asked about the unthinkable green vestments, he was told that it was now Ordinary Time. The Pope responded “This is the Octave of Pentecost.” The reply came back that the Octave of Pentecost was abolished in the new calendar. “Who did that?”, asked the Pope. “You did, Your Holiness. And Paul VI wept.

A lot of us grew up with this "ordinary" time, so we don't bat an eyelash. As young whippersnapper I know said, the Church isn't like football, they don't have off-seasons! Then why does it feel like it?